Manchester: It seemed like a picnic environment when the Indian cricket team went to the Kent county ground for a practice session last Thursday. Music played in the dressing room and the players were largely left on their own to decide how they wanted to use the three hours at the ground. ‘Burnout’ was the last thing on the team management’s mind.Mohammed Siraj, however, looked restless and had his ‘game face’ on at all times. Having just played three gruelling Tests, he was restricted from bowling in the nets. But he did pad up and had a longish session with the bat even as Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep had light sessions in the gym.While the talk about India’s pace attack has largely revolved around Bumrah’s workload, Siraj has now become the most important pacer for India on this tour. Suddenly, the team management has to think about ways of preserving him in order to ensure Siraj is at his best in the next two Tests.“Siraj is not someone who’s going to shy away from the workload, so it makes it even more important for us to manage his workload and make sure that he’s at least fit to give his best,” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had said after the session.India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel had earlier said that they have to literally take the ball out of Siraj’s hands in practice sessions. Curbing Siraj’s enthusiasm was the greatest challenge for coaches both at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and in the Team India setup during the fast bowler’s initial years.
There was an underlying concern over Siraj’s form when the team for the England tour was picked. His poor returns on lively pitches in Australia seven months ago had raised alarm bells about India’s pace resources, especially with Mohammed Shami slowly fading away due to fitness issues. That Siraj was still bowling like a third seamer was a big concern for the team management and selectors.In England, however, Siraj has looked like a bowler who has put in a lot of thought into his preparation, besides being all heart. Former Team India strength and condition coach Soham Desai told TOI that Siraj had asked him to devise a workout programme even before the Australia tour since he wanted to go on pilgrimage to Mecca. Siraj went for the pilgrimage just before the Champions Trophy.“Siraj was very deflated after the Australia tour and after being dropped from the Champions Trophy squad. He came to India and bowled with all his heart in a Ranji Trophy match. It is always difficult to explain to him that he doesn’t have to burn himself out. But even before we travelled to Australia, we discussed how many days he will be off training and designed a workout programme accordingly,” Desai said.
Former India pacer Amit Bhandari, who is an assistant coach at Gujarat Titans, noticed that Siraj had been talking a lot about bowling with his fellow pacers like Prasidh Krishna and didn’t only focus on bowling T20 lengths and variations during the IPL.“He bowled long spells at nets. While he had to focus on the variations for the IPL, he generally bowled Test match lengths. Siraj and Prasidh were inseparable. They sat together in team buses and had all their meals together. He was super focused on talking about bowling in general even with head coach Ashish Nehra,” Bhandari said.Before the tour started, former India bowling coach Bharat Arun, who has been instrumental in discovering Siraj at Hyderabad in 2016, had told TOI that this England tour was an opportunity for Siraj to put his hand up and prove he could be the frontline bowler for India.
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“What kind of mindset he has is going to be vital. He’s pretty smart. Siraj is someone who can be a captain’s delight, someone who will give his all. It’s good to be aggressive, but controlling it is going to be key,” Arun had said.Having turned 31 four months ago, Siraj’s approach in the field suggests he is growing into the role of a senior bowler. He has not let his emotions get the better of him. Interestingly, his bowling average comes down to 23 from his career average 31 when Bumrah isn’t playing.Akash Deep had credited Siraj for his 10-wicket haul in the second Test, which India won in Bumrah’s absence at Edgbaston. “Siraj bhai keeps talking to me during the game. We discuss what’s happening from each end and how we can plot a batsman’s dismissal,” Akash Deep had said during the second Test.
“I think we take for granted how lucky we are to have someone like Siraj. I know he doesn’t always have the returns that you expect from a fast bowler. But in terms of heart, he’s like a lion and whenever he has the ball in hand, you always feel like something’s going to happen,” ten Doeschate had said on Thursday.In England, Siraj has brought all his experience into play. It has been a long road for the caretakers of Indian cricket to prepare Siraj for the day when he can confidently lead an attack.In 2017, Siraj was here in England with the India ‘A’ team followed by a tour of New Zealand four months later. At that time, then-India ‘A’ bowling coach Paras Mhambrey had devised a bowlingagainst-the-wind plan. The sole objective was to keep players outside their comfort zones while in the field.Abhay Sharma, who was the fielding coach with the India ‘A’ team, had once told TOI, “When you first make it to the highest level, there will be senior bowlers in the team. Senior bowlers get the option to choose the ends. Siraj learnt how to bowl against the wind and to manage the workload while bowling against the wind all day.”At Edgbaston, where he picked up 6/70 in the first innings on a placid pitch, Siraj stopped in his runup quite a few times. He didn’t lose the run-up. He actually chose to bowl into the blustery wind to give Akash Deep easier conditions to bowl.With two matches remaining in the series, India will hope for Siraj to keep growing as a lead pacer irrespective of Bumrah’s presence in the XI.
Akash Deep struggling with back niggle
Heavy rain greeted the Indian team when they arrived here in Manchester on Saturday. Trailing 1-2 in the series, the team management is working overtime to sort out the pace attack for the fourth Test match beginning on Wednesday. It has emerged Akash Deep is nursing a back niggle. Earlier, Arshdeep Singh had split the webbing on his bowling hand during practice.Akash Deep, it is learnt, has developed a sore back that has troubled him in the past. He struggled to get through the second innings at Lord’s last week. He is still not certain to start in the fourth Test on Wednesday. The medical team is working hard to get him back in shape.
